Another guy expected to give more? Lamar Odom, in no small part because folks are always wanting more from LO. I did a radio spot last night, and the host suggested the Lakers needed Odom to deliver 15/15 for the Lakers to win. Allow me to pass along the full list of 15/15 players across the NBA this year. Oh right, there were none. From a rebounding standpoint, Howard's 13.8 a night led the Association, so 15 a game might be a reach. (Why not ask him to return GM to solvency, while just to round out his agenda?) It does, however, illustrate how the Good Production From Lamar Bar is a fluid thing, generally always moving up from whatever he gives.

But while the necessary numbers are debatable the Lakers will need his versatility on both ends, particularly as he matches up against Rashard Lewis. Personally, I'm more concerned about how Odom fits in defensively, because his length and mobility provides a great foil to both Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu. They'll need Odom to both rebound and close on the perimeter, which as you can imagine isn't the easiest mission in the world.

While it's important for Odom to be part of the offense, it's not a question of specific statistical benchmarks. LO is one of those dudes who often does well by the eyeball test, since he can impact a game in more ways than box score categories. He has to make a noticeable imprint on the game, but often that's less about his points or rebounds than his +/-. When Odom is playing well, you can tell, even if the numbers aren't huge... though I certainly won't complain if they are.

Howard Beck of the NYT looks at Kobe Bryant's six NBA Finals and notes the absence of a genuine, consistent rival. It's worth asking if the sort of Magic vs. Bird thing has gone the way of the dodo. Kobe vs. LeBron was the hope, at least for this season, but we all know how that went.

"...In hindsight, Orlando's upset win in the Eastern Conference Finals
looks more predictable because of the importance of matchups in the
postseason. The Magic had won the season series 2-1 and convincingly
so. Orlando's upset means every playoff series so far has been won by
the team that won or tied the regular-season series, a trend the Magic
certainly hopes continue, having swept the Lakers. This time, however,
the evidence isn't as strong in Orlando's favor. The two wins were both
close, coming by a combined nine points, and the Magic relied heavily
on the production of Nelson. The odds of him matching that even if he
does play--or any of the other Orlando point guards replicating it--are
long indeed.

This time around, the matchups are not so strongly tilted in the
Magic's favor. When the Lakers go small, they match up very well
indeed--with the notable exception of the middle. While it's possible
to envision a scenario in which Howard is too much for either Bynum or
Gasol to handle, the shooters make their shots and the Orlando defense
is solid enough to hold the Lakers at bay, the more likely scenario is
that Howard will come back to earth slightly after his back conference
finals and the Lakers' offense will prove more potent than the Cavs'
attack did.

The Lakers were my pick in October before the season started, they were
my pick in April at the beginning of the playoffs, and despite testing
my faith at times the last month and a half, they remain my pick to win
the championship now.